In this episode, I’m joined by Eleanor Gardner, physiotherapist and founder of Pelvic Relief, a company dedicated to breaking down barriers in intimate health. Eleanor is on a mission to make evidence-based pelvic health solutions accessible and in this episode, she shares exactly how we can take charge of our own healing from bladder pain syndromes, including IC and chronic UTIs.

We dive into some of the most effective tools for pelvic and bladder rehabilitation, including:

• The must-have tools to optimise your comfort with intimacy and reduce your UTI risk: how they work and who they’re for. 
• Best practices for choosing the right products for you and why this matters
• Lubricants & moisturisers: what to look for and why they’re essential for UTI prevention and comfort.

We also explore supplements for urinary and vaginal health, covering:

• Probiotics for intimate health
• Urinary and vaginal microbiome testing 
• Vaginal pH & perimenopause: how changes impact our UTI risk, plus when, why and how to test vaginal pH.

If you're looking for practical tools and expert advice to overcome chronic UTI bladder pain and IC, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!

Timestamps:

00:00 - Show Intro  
00:36 - Episode Intro  
01:18 - Introduction to Eleanor and Pelvic Relief  
03:08 - Eleanor’s Background as a Physio and Experience of Different Women’s Healthcare Systems  
06:20 - Dilators  
15:00 - The Therawand  
18:46 - When and How to Keep Up Physio at Home
20:18 - The Ohnut  
23:10 - The Kaito  
27:31 - Lubrication and Moisturisers  
31:24 - Vaginal pH Test Kits  
35:03 - Vaginal Probiotics  
37:41 - Microbiome Screening  
40:50 - Where to Find Eleanor and Pelvic Relief  
43:26 - Episode Outro  

Resources:

For more tips on navigating intimacy without the fear of another UTI and how to communicate your needs to your partner with confidence, listen to Season 1, Episode 6 with sex educator Olivia Teahan, “Navigating Intimacy & UTIs”

https://www.marycotternutrition.com/podcast/navigating-intimacy-and-utis 

Connect with Mary:

• Go deeper with Mary’s free ebook, How to Heal your Bladder with Food.‍
• Follow Mary on Instagram ‍ https://www.instagram.com/marycotter.nutrition/
• Mary’s website https://www.marycotternutrition.com/
• The Heal your Bladder programme https://www.marycotternutrition.com/heal-your-bladder
• Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on marycotternutrition.com is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice from your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website.